Burglar-alarm



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. FINLEY. 'BURGLAR ALARM.

No. 543,618. Patented-July 30, 1895;

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. J. H. FINLEY. BURGLAR ALARM.

No. 543,618. 4 Patented July 30, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. FINLEY, OF MORGANTOWN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO CLAY P. JOHNSONAND GEORGE M. JOHNSON, OF REEDYVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BURGLAR ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,618, dated July 20,1895,

I Application filed October 13, 1894. Serial No. 525,829. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. FINLEY, acitizen of the United States,residing at Morgantown, in the county of Butler and State of Kentucky,have invented a new and useful Burglar-Alarm, Fire-Alarm, and Call-Bell,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in burglar-alarms, fire-alarms,and call-bells.

1 IO The object of the present invention is to 2 5 is an elevation of afire-alarm and call-bell constructed in accordance with this invention.'Fig. 4 is a detail View of the hand-operated device. Fig. 5 is a reverseplan view of the platform, illustrating the construction 3c of thesupporting-levers.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlugs.

1 designates an alarm-bell adapted to be located at a fire-engine house,a telegraph-office,aservants room, or any other place where it isdesired to sound an alarm, and the said bell is engaged and rung by anoscillated hammer 2 fixed to a shaft of a spring-motor or similaractuating device. The spring-motor or actuating mechanism preferablyconsists of a spring-impelled arbor or shaft 4 connected by gearing witha shaft 5, and the latter carries a tappet-wheel 6, engagingoppositely-disposed tappet arms 7 and 8 of the shaft 8. The shaft 3 isprovided with an outwardly-extending arm 9, which is connected With aline 10 extending from the alarmsoundiug mechanism to any desired pointfrom which the alarm is to be sounded.

The line 10, which may be constructed of wire or any other suitablematerial, is normally maintained taut to retain one of the tappet-armsin engagement with the tappetwheel to lock the latter against rotation,and whenever it is designed to sound an alarm the line or connection 10is slackened to free the arm 9 to permit the shaft 3 to oscillate.

Various devices may be employed for slackening the wire or connection10, either autonlatically or at will, and in case the device is to beemployed as a burglar-alarm a shaft or Windlass 11 is employed, and isnormally held against rotation, to maintain the wire or connection 1Otaut, by a ratchet 12, fixed to the shaft or rung, and a pawl 13 mountedon a frame or casing and held in engagement with the ratchet-wheel by aspring 14. The pawl is operated to disengage it from the ratchetwheel bya lever 15, fulcrumed intermediate of its ends and having one endconnected with the pawl, and having its other end connected by a wire16, or the like, with a depressible platform 17, or to a door, window,or the like, and as soon as the wire 16 is pulled upon the pawl isdisengaged from the ratchet-wheel and the wire or connection 10 isslackened, and the bell-sounding mechanism is free to operate.

The depressible platform 17 may be constructed of any suitable materialand may be located at any desired point, and it is supported byoppositely-disposed forked levers l8 and 19, centrally connected andhaving their ends suspended from a suitable support. 8 The forked lever18 is provided with a stem, which is connected to thevwire 16.

In order to insure the operation of the device, springs 21 and 22 areconnected with the wire 10 and are located adjacent to the bell- 9osounding mechanism and to the Windlass, and when the latter is set thesprings are drawn back, whereby when the pawl is disengaged the springswill return to their normal position and cause the wire or otherconnection employed to be slackened. A spring 23 is also employed forassisting the return of the lever and to counterbalance the weight ofthe platform.

In order to convey the desired inclination when an alarm is sounded, aspring 24 is located adjacent to the bell-sounding mechanism. It carriesaplate 25, and is connected with the spring 21 by a wire 26, and when.the shaft 3 is oscillated its arm 9 slightly agitates the spring 21 andcauses a corresponding movement of the spring 24, thereby readilyindicating by data on the plate 25 from what point the alarm is sounded.The plate 25 is adapted to bear all the information necessary and maycontain the location of a fire-alarm box, the number of a room, or anysimilar information.

When the apparatus is used as a fire-alarm or call-bell the platform andthe Windlass mechanism are dispensed with, and a lever 27 is employed,and has the line or connection 10 attached to it. It is provided with aeam-head to enable the wire or connection 10 to be drawn taut, and it issecured in a stationary position by means of a curved ratchet-bar 28 anda spring-actuated detent or pawl 29, mounted on the lever for engagingthe ratchet. The spring-actuated detent is operated by a latch-lever 30,mounted on a cam-lever and arranged adjacent to the handle thereof.

It will be readily apparent that the apparatus may be duplicated, andmay be readily arranged to serve as a burglar-alarm, a firealarm, and acall-bell; that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it isexceedingly inexpensive, as the first cost is the only expense.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is 1. In an alarm, the combination of a bell, a bell-hammeractuating mechanism, a line having one end connected with the actuatingmechanism for holding the same normally out of operation, a pawl andratchet device connected with the other end of the line and having thesame wound on its drum to hold the line taut, a lever connected with thepawl and pivotally mounted, and adapted to be swung on its pivot towithdraw the pawl from its engagement with the ratchet to release theline, whereby an alarm is sounded, and a vibrating spring mountedindependently of the bell and the actuating mechanism, connected withsaid line and carryinga plate at its free end, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2. In an alarm, the combination of a bell, a bell-hammer, actuatingmechanism for op'- crating the bell-hammer, a line connected with theactuating mechanism for normally holding the same out of operation, ashaft or Windlass connected with the line for holding the latter taut, apawl and ratchet for look ing the shaft, and a lever fulcrumed betweenits ends and having one end connected with the pawl and designed to haveits other end connected with a platform or the like, sub stantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ll. FINLEY.

Witnesses:

COLUMBUS Nnnn, Lon BUNCH.

